Whitstable man Jonathan Elliott admits charging at Prince Charles's car at Archbishop of Canterbury enthronement
Police surround Jonathan
Elliott near Prince Charles's car ahead of the enthronement.
Picture: Joel Tennant.
by Gerry Warren
An anti-cuts protester has today branded the royal family
"parasites" after admitting lunging at a car carrying Prince
Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall in Canterbury.
Jonathan Elliott, of Sydney Road, Whitstable, pleaded
guilty to causing a breach of the peace this morning after charging
at the royal Rolls Royce - believing it contained Prime Minister
David Cameron.
Canterbury magistrates ordered the 47-year-old be bound over -
an order to keep the peace - for a year.
Jobless Elliott, who asked to be called Dude when he was in
the dock, wore a red t-shirt bearing the words: "I'm afraid and
therefore unquestioningly obedient".
The royals were arriving in the city for the enthronment of the
new Archbishop at Canterbury Cathedral when Elliott charged at
the vehicle in Northgate at about 2.20pm.
Elliott (pictured right) was arrested at the scene and
spent the night in custody before appearing in court this
morning.
Julie Farbrace, prosecuting, said there had been a police
presence at the Kings School rear entrance to the cathedral.
A police officer saw Elliott handing out leaflets waiting
for the Prime Minister to arrive for the ceremony.
Ms Farbrace said officers saw him make a clear run at a vehicle
and he was detained "as it was believed he posed a threat to
himself and others".
After the hearing, Elliott described David Cameron and the royal
family as "parasites".
He said: "I was on the path and then found myself in the road
with a load of policemen on top of me.
"I assumed Cameron was in the car, but a police constable moved
me out the way and searched me and I was getting pretty agitated.
"I didn't know Prince Charles was in the car and had no intention of hurting anyone - I'm not a violent person..." – protester Jonathan Elliott
"It all happened so fast. I didn't know Prince Charles was in
the car and had no intention of hurting anyone - I'm not a violent
person.
"I was angry at David Cameron, but I saw the Royal Family as
second best.
"All I wanted to do was put a leaflet on the car. They should be
aware that it's affecting us.
"People at the bottom are being hard hit and they are
disconnected.
"Basically they are all parasites and call people like me
skivers."
Elliott said he felt "agitated" after being searched by police
as he handed out leaflets, adding: "That kind of peed me off."
Video: Jonathan Elliott
explains why he charged at the royal car
Elliott will have to pay a fine of £100 if he is found to
breach the peace in the next 12 months.
Rocco Marinaccio, defending, said Elliott received both
incapacity and disability benefits and asked magistrates for a
"modest" bind over sum.
Jonathan Elliott lunges
at the royal car before being bundled into a police van. Picture
Joel Tennant
The dramatic scenes came ahead of the installation of the 105th Archbishop of
Canterbury.
Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall were among around
2,000 people attending the enthronement of the Most
Reverend Justin Welby.
A group of protesters had been holding a demonstration against
attendee Prime Minister David Cameron and government cuts around
the gates of the cathedral.
Witnesses saw Elliott race towards the vehicle
before police tackled him.
Prince Charles and the
Duchess of Cornwall arrive at Canterbury Cathedral moments after a
protestor charged at their car. Pictures: Barry Goodwin
Joel Tennant, 22, a student from the University of Kent, was
outside the gates of The Kings School when the drama unfolded.
He said: "One anti-government protester attempted to jump in
front of his car. Several policemen rushed to the scene.
"From then non-uniform officers kept him on the ground until it
was safely inside the gates.
"About 10 minutes later a police van arrived, at which
point police picked him up off the ground in handcuffs and put him
in the van."
It came as more than 100 protesters gathered outside the
cathedral to demonstrate against government cuts.
21/03/13
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